Adding machines



March 20, 1962 H. s. STINSON ADDING MACHINES Filed Dec. 2, 1959 REIEIEIEIEIEIEIHHHJ a ULILJLILILILILJLQLJ United States Patent 3,026,027 ADDING MACHINES Harold S. Stinson, Town and Country, Mo. (11777 Clayton Road, St. Louis 31, Mo.) Filed Dec. 2, 1959, Ser. No. 856,727 5 Claims. (Cl. 235-60) The invention relates to adding machines of that type which embody a stop carriage containing a series of stops arranged in rows and keys operable to set the stops to represent numbers. In the present embodiment of the invention I employ what is knownas a transverselytraveling stop-carriage.

In the class of adding machines employed to illustrate this embodiment of the invention there are ten digit-keys numbered from O to 9 inclusive which cooperate with one of a series of tenstops arranged in a traveling carriage, there being any suitable number of series of stops depending on the calculating capacity of the machine. An escapement and motor device is provided to operate efiectually to move the carriage step by step on the operation of a key, and by the successive operations of the keys any desired number may be set up or introduced into the machine, after which a handle is pulled forward to cause segmental racks to be moved until arrested by the set stops, which positions the printing-type in printing line, and also determines the extent of rotation of the accumulating wheels.

My present invention does not comprehend in its scope any improvement in these well-known devices which exist in practically all adding machines, but relates only to a method of enabling an operator to determine the value of the key, or keys, he has operated.

The following are among the objects of the invention:

To providea means, which may be adapted to any adding machine of the ten-key type without making any substantial changes in its construction and arrangement, whereby an operator may view at any time exactly what number has been set up in the machine, previous to any adding or other calculating operation; to mark the stops of an adding machine of this type according to their digital value and to provide a means for viewing on a common line of sight the marks appearing on stops which have been set; to provide each stop with a lateral mark facing toward the front of the machine to indicate its digital value, and to provide a means for viewing the markings on the stops which have been set from a position in front of and parallel with the rows of stops, so that they may be viewed on a common line of sight; to provide a reflecting system which will make visible to an operator on a common line of sight the marks appearing on stops which have been set; to provide a window into which an operator may look and see a reflection of the marks appearing on set stops; and such other features of construction, arrangement, and combination of parts as will be hereinafter more particularly described.

While the mechanical method of achieving this novel result may be varied or modified in many ways, it is my intention in this application to give a simple diagrammatical illustration of the method basically involved so that those skilled in the art will understand the principles of the invention, but I do not limit the invention to the embodiment shown.

In the drawings FIGURE 1 is a diagrammatical view of a portion of the interior of an adding machine of the class employed showing the general principles involved. FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary view of a stop-carriage with its numbered stops set to represent the number 2,357,632,157, and, a reflection of that number appearing on a mirror.

In the drawings I have illustrated a well-known type of cross-carriage machine in which 1 is the base, and 2 the frame of the machine extending up from the base 1. 3 represents the so-called numeral digit-keys and having levers 4 extending rearwardly in the machine and pivotally supported at 5. The rear end of said levers 4 ter- .minate in a longitudinal row and are provided with extensions 6 constituting hammers or drivers 6 for setting move one step toward the left of the machine at everyv depression of the numeral digit-keys 3 up to the capacityv of the machine. This escapement mechanism is carried by a frame 11, swinging from a shaft 12 and carrying a part of the escapement mechanism 10 at its free end.

Each row of stops 7 is thus brought into operative posi-' tion with respect to the hammers 6, and each step of the stop-carriage transporting another row or series of stops 7 over said hammers 6. When a number has been set up in the adding machine stop-carriage as just explained,

segmental racks 13 will when operated in their well-known manner be arrested by the set stops.

So far as the above construction is concerned it forms no part of my present invention, and I have referred to it herein only for the purpose of showing the relation of my improvement to the type of adding-machine embodying the above described features.

In the present form of the invention, each stop 7 is marked with a numeral corresponding to the value of said I stop. Thus, each row or series of stops .7 i are marked consecutively with the digits 0 to 9 inclusive. The

method of marking the stops may be varied accordingare not normally visible, since the portion of the stops which are marked are positioned substantially within the stop-carriage 8.. However, when a stop 7 has been set I by the operation of a key 3 in the process of setting up a number in the machine, the mark on the set stop becomes visible.

Because of the arrangeemnt of the component parts of 'some-ten-key adding machines, the stop carriage isnot ordinarily visible to the operator, hence some method must be employed to permit the operator to view the markings on the set stops to determine what number has been set up in the machine. The details of making the marks appearing on a set stop, or stops, visible to the operator, will vary with every diiferent make of ten-key machine, but such variation of details will readily suggest themselves to anyone skilled in the art upon reading the following description.

The simple provision of a window 16 in the frame 2 of the machine, allowing a view of the set stops, would in somecases be sufficient. This window may be made of a magnifying type of glass so as to enlarge the marking on the stops and make the markings easy to view.

In the present form of the invention I have provided a mirror 14, oblong in shape, and positioned horizontally in the front of the stop-carriage 8. The mirror 14 is tilted so that the top edge of the mirror is closer to the front end of the adding machine than its bottom edge. This mirror 14 may be of a magnifying type so as to enlarge the numeral markings on the stops. Above this mirror 14 positioned horizontally and further to the. rear of the machine is another oblong mirror 15, which is also tilted in such a manner that when a stopis set, the mark app'earing on it will be'refl'ected into the mirror 14, enlarged by the'magnifying properties of the mirror 14, and then projected into the mirror 15 so that the operator'may look through the window 16 in the frame 2 of the machine an'dview 'on the mirror 15 the value of the stop, or stops, which have been set up in the machine. It should be noted that since mirror 14 is positioned in front of therows of stops 7, all stops 7 which have been set will be reflected into mirror 1'5 on a common line of sight; and, that this mirror system permits an operator to view the markings on stops which have been set from a position in front of the rows of stops.

In FIGURE 2 of the drawings, stops 7 have been set upin the stop-carriage 8, by the successive operation of the keys 3, to represent the number 2,357,632,157. It will be seen'from this drawing that the markings only on the stops which have been set are visible and that the markings on the stops which have not been set remain out of sight. Above the stop-carriage 8 it will be noted that'the set up number is reflected in the mirror 15 in a straight line. This result has been achieved by placing the mirror 14 in front ofthe stop-carriage in a position to reflect the markings on the set stop-s in a straight line into mirror 15. v i

It is evident that the mirrors may be framed in such a manner as to exclude from its view everything but the markings on the set stops, so that other parts of the mechanism of the adding machine will not be reflected into the mirror.

I am aware that the construction and arrangement just explained is subject to various modification without the least departure from the nature and principle of my invention and I, therefore, do not restrict myself to specific devices.

What I claim is:

1. In a calculating machine of the class described having a plurality of operating keys, rows of stops adapted to beset by the successive operation of said keys to represent numbers, and means for marking each stop to indicate its digital value, the combination of a reflecting means consistingof two reflecting elements, one of said elements being positioned in front of 'and parallel with the rows of stops, and the other in'line with an observation slot, said one element being arranged at an angle to the markings on saidset stops so that said markings will be reflected into the'secondelement on a common line of sight, said latter element being within the view of the operator.

'2. In a calculating machine of the class described having a plurality of operating keys, rows of stops adapted tobe set by the successive operation of said keys to represent numbers, and means for providing'each stop with a lateral mark to indicate its digital value, said lateral marks positioned to face toward the'front end of the machine, the combina-tionof a means for viewing the markings on said stops from a position in front of and parallel with 6 said rows of stops, so that said markings may be viewed in front of and parallel with the rows of stops, and the" other in line with an observation slot, said one element being arranged at an angle to the markings on said set stops so that said markings will be reflected into the second element on a common line of sight, said latter element being within the view of the operator.

3. In a calculating machine of the class described having a plurality of operating keys, rows of stops adapted to be set by the successive operation of said keys to represent'numbers, and means for marking each stopto indicate its digital value, the combination of a reflecting means consisting of two mirrors, one of said mirrors being positioned in front of and parallel with the rows of stops, and the other in line with an observation slot, said one mirror being arranged at an angle to the markings on said set stops so that said markings will be reflected into the second mirror on a common line of sight, said latterfmirror being within the view of the operator. i

4. In a calculating machine of the class described having a plurality of operating keys, rows of stops adapted to be set by the successive operation of said keys to repre-.

sent numbers, and means for providing each stop with a lateral mark to indicate its digital value, said lateralmarkings positioned to face toward the front end of the machine, the combination of a reflecting means for viewing the markings on said set stops from a position in front of and parallel with said rows of stops, so that said markings maybe viewed on a common line of sight, said reflecting means consisting of two. mirrors, one of said mirrors being positioned in front. of and parallel with the rows of stops, and the other in line with an observation slot, said one mirror being arranged at an angle to the markings on said set stops so that said markings'will be reflected into the second mirror on a common line of sight, said latter mirror being within the view of the operator.

5. In a calculating machine of the class described having a plurality of operatingkeys, rows of stops adapted to be set by the successive operation of said keys to represent numbers, and means for marking each stop to indicate its digital value, the combination of a reflecting means for ivewing the markings on said set stops on a common line of sight, said reflecting means consisting of two refleeting elements, one of said elements being positioned in front of said rows of stops, and the other within the view of the operator, said one element being arranged to reflect the markings on saicl set stops into the second element for viewing on a common line of sight.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

